The document introduces Visual DataVault, a modeling language for visually expressing Data Vault models. It aims to generate DDL from models and support Microsoft Office. The language defines basic entities like hubs, links, satellites and reference tables. It also covers query assistant tables, computed structures, exploration links and business vault tables to enhance the raw data vault. Some remarks note it focuses on logical not physical modeling and more features are planned.

1. VISUAL DATA VAULT
[MODELING LANGUAGE]
MichaelOlschimke
World-Wide DataVault Consortium, St.Albans,Vermont

2. Introduction
Goals
Basic Entities
Query AssistantTables
ReferenceTables
BusinessVault
Remarks
AGENDA
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3. INTRODUCTION
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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4. • Mid-size consulting firm in Germany
• Consulting, training, implementation
• Focus on BI
• Also: relational
databases, mainframe, software
development
• Industries:
• Automotive
• Banking
• Consumer
• Pharmaceutical
• Telecommunications
• Insurance
• Partners:
INTRODUCTION (1/2)
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5. • BIConsultant Dörffler + Partner GmbH
• Specialized on DataVault, data mining, CRM, ETL, project
management
• DataVault 2.0 Certified Individual
• Sectors: automotive, commerce, public, non-profits
• Academic research on neural networks, text
classification, information retrieval
• Located in Germany
INTRODUCTION (2/2)
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6. GOALS
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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7. Visually
express
DataVault
models
Generate
DDL from
DataVault
models
Microsoft
Office
support
GOALS
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8. 3. BASIC ENTITIES
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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9. • A list of business keys
• Business keys are attached to hub
• Composite key is modeled by
adding multiple business keys to
hub
• Business keys might have data
types
3.1 HUBS
CustomerCustomer Country
Customer No.
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Customer Country
Customer No.
Customer Country: varchar(2)
Customer No.:
integer

10. • Smart Keys are keys with some
logical structure
• Not a composite key
• Do not model check sums
• Do not model smart key if format
is unclear or multiple format
definitions are possible
• Possible to integrate in composite
key
• Composite key might consist of
multiple smart keys
3.1.2 SMART KEYS
Vehicle
Vehicle
Identification
Number
Vehicle Descriptor
Section
World Manufacturer
Identifier
Vehicle Identifier
Section
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Vehicle
Vehicle
Identification
Number
Vehicle Descriptor
Section
World Manufacturer
Identifier
Vehicle Identifier
Section
Brand
Vehicle
Vehicle
Identification
Number
Vehicle Descriptor
Section
World Manufacturer
Identifier
Vehicle Identifier
Section
Vehicle Bar Code Stock Number
Parking Lot Number

11. • Links connect hubs
• Relationships or transactions
• Read: „Stock used by StockTrade“
• Check comments inVisio stencil
• Link reference might be
overwritten (add name to
connector)
• Important for multiple references
of the same hub in one link
• Possible to add attributes to links
(e.g., degenerated fields)
3.2 LINKS
Stock TradeStock Account
Customer
Account
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Stock TradeStock Account
Customer
Account
Diverted Flight
Airport
Source
Airport
Destination
Airport
Diverted Flight
Airport
Diversion Number
Source
Airport
Destination
Airport

12. • Special form of link
• Data cannot legally change
• Notice the annotation in the icon
• Transactional satellites are
discussed later
3.2.1TRANSACTIONAL LINKS
T
Sales
T
SalesProduct Customer
T
Sales Information
Sales Status
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13. • Link-to-Link structures can be
modeled as well
• However: not recommended
because of load dependencies
• Load dependencies complicate
the automated loading
3.2.2 LINK-TO-LINK
Supplier
Sales Person
Territory
Product Product
Sales Person
Territory
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14. • Satellites store descriptive data
• Usually historized
• Data is stored in attributes
• Attached to hubs or links
3.3 SATELLITES (1/2)
Shipping AddressShipping Address City
Address Line 2
State
Address Line 1
Zip Code
Shipping Address City
Address Line 2
State
Address Line 1
Zip Code
Customer
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15. • Links and hubs might have
multiple satellites
• Small bug in MSVisio stencil
3.3 SATELLITES (2/2)
Audit Information
Quantities
Stock Trade
Turbulence
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16. • Usually data comes from multiple
sources
• Record tracking satellites track
the availability of keys and
associations in source systems
• Special satellite variant
• Normalized or de-normalized
version is not indicated (physical
features are not covered by the
modeling language)
3.3.1 RECORDTRACKING SATELLITES (1/2)
Customer
Customers from
CRM
Customers from
Invoicing
Customers from
Web Shop
R Customer Tracking
Satellite
Customer
Customers from
CRM
Customers from
Invoicing
Customers from
Web Shop
R Customer Tracking
Satellite
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17. • Link version of record tracking
satellite
• Follows the hub version (record
tracking satellite can be added to
hub or link)
3.3.1 RECORDTRACKING SATELLITES (2/2)
Sale
Sale Information
from CRM
Sale Information
from Analytics
Sale Information
from Web Shop
Sale
Sale Information
from CRM
Sale Information
from Analytics
Sale Information
from Web Shop
R Sale Tracking
Satellite
Turbulence
Fasten Your
Seatbelt
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18. • Attached to hub or link
• Follows general satellite structure
• There is always a Status attribute
3.3.2 STATUSTRACKING SATELLITES
Customer Customer Status StatusCustomer Customer Status StatusCustomer Customer Status Status
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19. • Alternative to transactional links
• Transactional satellites are
attached to transactional links
• They store no history
• Attributes are added to the
satellite structure
• Introduced to allow automated
generation of DDL from such
models
3.3.3TRANSACTIONAL SATELLITES
Product Customer
T
Sales TransactionProduct Customer
T
Sales Transaction
T Sales Transaction
Data
Quantity
Item PriceTotal Price
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Product Customer
T
Sales Transaction
T Sales Transaction
Data
Quantity
Item PriceTotal Price

20. 4. QUERY ASSISTANT TABLES
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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21. • PIT table spans the satellites of
one hub or link
• Implemented as a ribbon that is
attached to the hub or link
symbol
• All satellites are affected by the
PIT
4.1 POINT-IN-TIME (PIT)TABLES
Contact
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Contact
CRM Leads
Newsletter ContactsArticle Reviewers

22. • Bridges improve join performance
between hubs and links
• Hub or link is “used by” bridge
4.2 BRIDGES (1/2)
Bridge
Product
Parts
Customer
Bill of Material
T
Sale
Bridge
Marketplace
Shop
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23. • Also possible to overwrite the
reference name
4.2 BRIDGES (2/2)
Product Customer
Bridge
Lead
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24. 5. REFERENCE TABLES
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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25. • Reference tables are lookup
tables that store descriptive data
• Have at least one business key
• Have multiple attributes
• Business key might be a smart
key
• Business key might be composite
key
• No history (flat structure)
5.1 NO-HISTORY REFERENCETABLES
ColorColor Color Code
Short Description
Long Description
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Color Color Code
Short Description
Long Description
Color
Detailed Color
Identifier
Short Description
Long Description
Color Code
Main Color
Identifier
Color
Detailed Color
Identifier
Short Description
Long Description
Color Code
Main Color
Identifier
Product

26. • Similar to no-history reference
table
• Has business key in table
• Satellite stores attributes with
history-tracking
• Satellite follows standard rules for
satellites
5.2 HISTORY-BASED REFERENCETABLES
Category Code
Short Description
Long Description
Category
Descriptions
Category Code
Short Description
Long Description
Category
Descriptions
Category Code
Short Description
Long Description
Category
Descriptions
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27. • Master code table for commonly
used codes and their descriptions
• Reference table contains two
business keys (Code & Group)
• History-based Satellite for the
descriptive attributes
5.3 CODE AND DESCRIPTIONS
Master Code Table Code
Short Description
Long Description
Master Code
Attributes
Group
Master Code Table Code
Short Description
Long Description
Master Code
Attributes
Group
Master Code Table Code
Short Description
Long Description
Master Code
Attributes
Group
Master Code Table Code
Short Description
Long Description
Master Code
Attributes
Group
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28. 6. BUSINESS VAULT
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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29. • Computed satellites describe a
hub or link with computed
descriptive attributes
• Added to the hub or link in the
same way as standard satellites
• Computed attributes are added to
the satellite
• Might contain non-computed
attributes (e.g. attributes that are
duplicated from another satellite
for convenience)
6.1 COMPUTED SATELLITES
Invoice Totals
Sales
Invoice Total
Grant Total
Tax Rate
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Invoice Totals
Sales
Invoice Total
Grant Total
Tax Rate
Invoice Totals
Sales
Invoice Total
Grant Total
Tax Rate
Invoice Totals
Sales
Invoice Total
Grant Total
Invoice Totals
Sales
Invoice Total
Grant Total
Tax Rate

30. • Concept is similar to a bridge
• Changes the grain of a link
• Aggregates values and adds them
as computed attributes to the link
6.2 COMPUTED AGGREGATE LINKS
Sales per Shop and
Customer
SaleCustomer
Product
Shop
Total Sales
Sales per Shop and
Customer
SaleCustomer
Product
Shop
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Sales per Shop and
Customer
SaleCustomer
Product
Shop
Total Sales

31. • These links are not available in
source systems
• Added artificially to the Data
Vault for exploration purposes
• Connects hubs that are not
directly connected in source
systems
• Basket Analysis
6.3 EXPLORATION LINKS
Customer Store
Product
T
Sale
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Offerings
Customer Store
Product
T
Sale

32. • BusinessVault tables have no
prescribed format
• Have business keys and attributes
• Might have computed attributes
• Might have computed satellites
attached
• Can be added to the Raw Data
Vault by ordinary links that
reference the primary key of the
BusinessVault table
6.4 BUSINESSVAULTTABLES
Customer
First Name
Last Name
Customer Number
Customer
First Name
Last Name
Customer Number
Customer
First Name
Last Name
Customer Number
City
Address 1
Zip Code
Computed Customer
Attributes
Life-Time Value of
Customer
Birth Date
Customer
First Name
Last Name
Customer Number
City
Address 1
Zip Code
Computed Customer
Attributes
Life-Time Value of
Customer
Birth Date
Customer
Last Name
First Name
Customer Number
City
Address 1
Zip Code
SalesProduct
Computed Customer
Attributes
Life-Time Value of
Customer
Birth Date
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33. SOME REMARKS
Visual DataVault [Modeling Language]
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34.  Logical modeling, no physical features
 VisioThemes are not supported (yet)
 More features to come:
 Inline attributes
 Validation rules (prevent hub on hub, etc.)
 What else?
 Don’t copy fromVisio and paste intoWord or PowerPoint
 Instead: export toWMF for better quality
 Vendor support package available
 Check out www.datavault.de for German assets on DataVault
REMARKS
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